Xiang walks upstairs to their apartment, getting ready quickly. He got dressed in a neat button up white shirt, black dress pants and shoes. He puts his hair in a simple over the shoulder braid and returns to the cafe to help. He kisses Harper's cheek.
Hinata took her cigar out of her mouth. Her stomach growled.
"I guess I better look for someplace to eat." She started scanning the stores around her. Selecting one, she stood by the door, waiting for it to open.
Lana was taking a walk, admiring the city. She tried not to look too out of place, though huge throngs of people weren’t what she was used to. She had her own phone now and was wearing a lilac tank top, jeans, sneakers, and a leather jacket. Her long hair was in a ponytail, and it swished satisfyingly behind her as she walked. Noticing a cafe, she paused, looking to see if it would open soon.
Hinata put out her cigar. She didn't want people to realize it hadn't burned away at all while she was smoking it. She placed it and her phone back in her pocket. She looked around. A girl in a lilac tank top was looking at the cafe.
"Maybe this place is good. It might have been worth it to arrive before it opened."
“Yeah?” Lana replied to the girl already standing outside the cafe. “I hope so. I’m starving.” She was quite hungry, and werewolves always seemed to have an appetite as far as she had experienced, herself included. “I’m Lana, by the way. What’s your name?”
"Hinata. Nice to meet you." Hinata sensed Lana wasn't human, but she didn't really care. She pulled out a protein bar.
"To tide you over?"
“Thanks,” she said, taking it with a hint of suspicion that she masked with surprise. She wolfed it down, slightly embarrassed when all that was left was the wrapper. “Do you always carry protein bars with you?” she teased good-naturedly.
"Always. You never know when they might save your life." Hinata looked around.
"Not like there's much like that in this world. The supernatural, I mean." She winked, letting Lana know she didn't think that at all.
Lana smiled. “I see,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt that they taste good as well.”
"Yes." Hinata looked around. Seeing no one was looking at them, Hinata leaned over.
"So, tell me. I can sense you aren't human. What are you then? Not meaning to be rude, of course." Hinata let a little of her energy flow out of her hand.
"After all, not everything is as it seems."
Lana glanced around as well, and while she didn’t necessarily want to shout her species to the rooftops, she wasn’t afraid of people overhearing her. She was sure she wasn’t the only werewolf in existence, or probably even in the city. “I’m a werewolf,” she said. “And you?”
"Dimensional Traveler. I'm here on vacation." Hinata glanced around.
"This place is lucky." She sighed, pulling out her phone and showing Lana a picture.
"This is the world I live in." She carefully chose these words, so Lana wouldn't think she was from this place. The picture showed a pretty suburb. It could have been from this world, but there were two suns.
“Cool,” Lana said, noting the two suns in the picture. “Have you been to a lot of dimensions then?”
"Yes, many. It comes with the job." Hinata spit the word job out as if it were venomous.
"I prefer my vacations more."
“I would imagine,” Lana agreed. She noticed the way that Hinata nearly spit the word “job” with curiosity but didn’t press it. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to travel between dimensions. It doesn’t hurt, does it?”
"Of course not. At least, when you use sanctioned portals. The black market ones… leave something to be desired." Hinata yawned. She usually didn't get up this early, but she wanted a head-start on her vacation.
Lana nodded. “Well at least I would guess it’s interesting,” she added, trying to imagine what it would be like.
"It is, for a while." Hinata shrugged.
"Until someone tries to burn you for being a witch the fiftieth time around."
Lana shuddered. "Yikes! Some dimensions must not be as civilized then, if they're out there trying to burn witches." Changing the topic, she asked, "Any idea when this place opens?"
"No idea." Hinata looked at the door, trying to see if there was a sign with the store times. She didn't see any.
"I would kill for a coffee right now," Lana sighed. "I mean, not literally, of course." She laughed softly. "What's your beverage of choice?"
"Sake or Earl Grey. It depends on when I wake up." Hinata stretched.
"Right now, it would be Earl Grey."
Lana nodded. She was fairly certain Earl Grey was tea. “That sounds good; I don’t often drink tea myself though.”
"It makes you look sophisticated. Especially when you do it in fancy china cups." Hinata giggled. She mimed taking a sip, holding her pinkie up.
Lana giggled too. “A spot of tea, madame?” she asked, trying to mimic a posh British accent and holding up her pinky as well.
"Oh, yes please, madame," Hinata said in a perfect accent.
"One lump, not two." She burst into laughter.
Lana chuckled. “But of course,” she added, pretending to pour some tea.
Hinata's stomach growled.
"Okay, we'd better stop. I'm getting hungry now." Hinata wiped a tear from her eye when she had control of her laughter.
Lana was still laughing. “Yeah we should,” she gasped between giggles. She finally got ahold of herself and took a deep breath.
Hinata followed suit.
"You know, I've been finding myself laughing a lot more lately. I like it."